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By K. Y. Haramy, R. O. Kneisley

This U.S. Bureau of Mines report summarizes a study of large-scale strata response to longwall mining at a western U.S. coal mine. This study utilized surface and subsurface measurements, geologic mapping, in situ stress measurements, and pressure cell readings to characterize strata behavior. Preliminary analysis of surface subsidence and time-domain reflectometry (TDR) was used to determine a suggested main roof caving sequence. Coal ejected from the face apparently resulted from brittle failures that occurred because of lack of significant yield zone development. The combination of a strong coal with pronounced directional behavior, low overburden pressures, a good caving roof, and a high-production environment that minimized time-dependent loading apparently reduced yielding of the longwall face. The panel 1 headgate-entry design appears adequate; however, the abutment pillar and adjacent panel tailgate rib are highly stressed and may contribute to problems during second panel mining. The small chain pillar yielded after passage of the face, but the pillar width may be near maximum since evidence of a stressed core exists.

Jan 1, 1992

By Paul Hughes

This paper summarizes current underhand paste backfill mining as applied to Goldcorp Inc?s Red Lake Mine, Newcrest Mining Ltd?s Kencana Mine and the Lanfranchi Nickel Mine as well as ongoing research at the University of British Columbia?s Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering. The Red Lake Mine utilises a 6 m wide undercut with a 2 MPa unconfined strength paste in order to selectively mine its high grade, high-stress orebody. Kencana?s orebody is located in a poor rock mass environment. An 8 m wide, 2 MPa unconfined strength paste sill allows a safe working condition for its high grade orebody. The Lanfranchi Nickel Mine utilises a cable-supported, 2 MPa paste, with 12 m span sills, to optimize the mining of the squeezing rock mass. This paper details the rock mechanic hazards, ground support techniques, paste practices and unique conditions for each mine. Further, an update of ongoing research at the University of British Columbia, focussing on the optimization of safe mining in underhand cut-and-fill mining in high-stress/weak rock masses, is presented.

May 1, 2011

By J. P. Walsted

Offgrade chromite concentrate, with a Cr-Fe ratio of 1.3 to 1.4 has been successfully smelted to produce useful ferroalloys. The Cr-Fe ratio is not improved, but the alloys can be used without a too drastic change in normal steel-mill practice. The ordinary high-carbon ferrochrome has been successfully produced by smelting under highly acid smelting conditions. An alloy containing 50 percent chromium was produced at a power consumption of 4,490 kw.-hr. per ton of alloy. Alloys containing 20 percent silicon were made by direct smelting chromite concentrate and silica.

Jan 1, 1956

By Leons Kovisars

Introduction Labor is the major cost element for most mining operations. Labor costs are continually increasing, both in nominal and constant terms. This is true in developed as well as less developed countries. There are two ways to control unit labor costs - labor costs per ton of ore mined. Replace labor with capital (increased mechanization) or improve productivity (reduce the labor force). Every miner is aware of specific inefficiencies at his or her particular operation. But the miner has no comparative measurement standards. So it is difficult to know whether these inefficiencies are major or minor. The miner may also be unaware of large-scale inefficiencies because ongoing labor practices may have caused management complacency. Met Research studied mining labor productivity. The firm collected pilot data by sending direct-mail questionnaires to 320 nonferrous mining operations around the world. The response rate was 27%, of which 78 operations provided full data on production and employment.

Jan 11, 1983

By Henry M. Howe

PART I. § 1. Introduction. After giving certain definitions, this paper gives the reasons which led to Roozeboom's form of the diagram of the freezing-point curves and general equilibrium of the iron-carbon compounds, steel and cast-iron ; and then those which led to replacing it with the present or double diagram, in which graphite is at all temperatures held to be the more stable and cementite the less stable (metastable) form of carbon. Next in § 10 the evidence supporting this greater stability of graphite is examined, then in § 17 that which seems to oppose it, and in § 22 a summary of the evidence is presented. The second part of the paper considers the topography of the graphite-iron diagram, rejecting summarily the solubility-lines based on the data of Charpy and Grenet and of Mannes-mann, on the ground that the data even on their face do not really point toward these lines, and that they are wholly incompetent to determine any solubility-lines whatsoever, because they report together with the dissolved carbon also an indeterminate quantity of cement-carbon, and because even such carbon as is actually dissolved, only in part represents the solubility of graphite, and in another and indeterminate part represents the solubility of cementite, or at least of carbon in presence of cementite as distinguished from graphite. It might be thought that graphite is but slightly soluble in iron, because of the absence of any suggestions of eutectoid graphite, corresponding to the eutectoid cementite of pearlite in very many cases in which the cast-iron seems to consist of ferrite and massive graphite only, and because of the micrographs of Goerens and Gutowsky. In these the primary austenite of cast-iron quenched but little below the eutectic freezing-

Jan 7, 1908

By D. M. Schubert

As a clean and renewable energy carrier, hydrogen is an important component of most alternative energy portfolios. Hydrogen combines very high energy content by weight with excellent environmental attributes. Since hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce only water with release of energy, it can be used to power fuel cells, combustion engines, and turbines, without production of greenhouse gases at point of use. However, because of its low volumetric density, storing pure hydrogen is impractical. Thus implementation of hydrogen technologies requires materials that can safely store and release large amounts of hydrogen (1,2). In recent years, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other governmental agencies around the world sponsored extensive research on hydrogen storage materials, including those based on boron. These efforts have resulted in significant advances in hydrogen storage technologies. Boron materials stand out as leading candidates for hydrogen storage among the many options investigated. Combining excellent hydrogen densities, release rates, and safety characteristics, some boron materials can hold substantially more hydrogen by weight and volume than even pure liquid hydrogen (3-5).

Jan 1, 2010

By A. C. Wilson

"In 1991, local prospector C. “Mickey” Clement recovered at least three alluvial diamonds from the Michipicoten River. Two of these stones were sent to the Department of Mineralogy, Royal Ontario Museum, where they were identified as industrial-grade diamonds with weights of 1.05 and 1.13 carats. Both stones were described as frosted and graphiteinclusion riddled.In 1995, prospector Sandor Surmacz and geologist Marcelle Hauseux discovered diamonds in bedrock approximately 20 km north of the Michipicoten River. An 18.1 kg bulk sample of a xenolith-rich lamprophyre, taken from an outcrop at the side of the Trans Canada Highway north of Wawa, yielded 1 macro diamond and 5 micro diamonds. All but one was gem quality (Sage, 2000).Since then, more than 36 occurrences of diamonds in bedrock have been reported in an area approximately 30 km2 in size, centred 20 km north of the town of Wawa. The occurrences are hosted within a sequence of unusual, Archean-aged, heterolithic breccias previously considered to have no economic significance. Ten kimberlite occurrences also have been confirmed in the Michipicoten greenstone belt in the last five years. Two of these kimberlites are diamondiferous.To date, expenditures on property acquisition and diamond exploration in the Wawa are estimated at CDN$120 M.This paper summarizes the geological observations made on these occurrences and describes the relationship between the occurrences and the regional geology."

Jan 1, 2004

By James E. Maccariella

Replacement of an existing movable bridge with a new low level fixed bridge would not accommodate potential future navigation traffic. In order to replace the existing bridge in a cost effective manner, while accommodating the potential future needs of the Port of Salem, a new bridge was proposed that would permit conversion to a vertical lift type movable bridge should a potential need for upstream navigation warrant such a project in the future. Drilled shafts were found to be the most desirable foundation type for the replacement of the Route 49 Bridge over Salem River. Their ability to resist scour, be constructed without cofferdams, adequately resist vessel collision forces, and accommodate conversion to a future vertical lift bridge allowed the project to meet both the needs of the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the Port of Salem.

Jan 1, 2005

By G B. Gnoinski

The Skorpion Zinc Mine and Refinery is situated approximately 25 km north of Rosh Pinah, south-western Namibia. The supergene zinc oxide deposit at Skorpion is hosted in a volcano-sedimentary succession within the para-autochthonous Port Nolloth Zone of the Gariep Belt. Rock types hosting the ore deposit include altered and metamorphosed volcaniclastic and clastic sediments, limestone and rhyolite. At Skorpion, the metallurgical process is unique and the plant design requires minimal fluctuations within a selected feed grade. In addition, the presence of limestone inter-fingered with ore in some areas of the deposit results in dilution problems which may increase gangue acid consumption and therefore processing costs. Hence, selective mining is necessary to ensure the delivery of suitable ore to the processing plant, in order to keep the overall operating costs at a minimum. A complex control system is in place and is capable of a high degree of selectivity. The paper describes the grade control system in place at Skorpion Mine which ensures that the qualities of the blocks planned for mining and the material being mined meet the stringent process requirements of the refinery, i.e zinc grade, gangue acid consumption and deleterious elements that may impact on the efficiency and costs of the metallurgical process. Keywords: Skorpion zinc, zinc oxide, supergene, volcano-sedimentary, grade control

Jan 1, 2007

In recent years there have been significant advances in computing power and programming technology, enabling more complicated processes to be modelled in greater detail. This has led to increased understanding of these complex processes, including mineral processing circuits. JKSimMet was developed over the past 35 years, incorporating outcomes from various research projects conducted at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC), part of the Sustainable Minerals Institute at The University of Queensland. It is a steady-state software program that allows the user to mass balance, model fit and simulate crushing, grinding and classification circuits. JKSimFloat has been developed over the past 20 years, incorporating outcomes from the JKMRC and other institutions around the world through the AMIRA International P9 project ? The Optimisation and Simulation of Mineral Processing Circuits. It is also a steady-state software program, similar to JKSimMet, but is focused on analysing flotation circuits. Both programs have been used in a wide variety of optimisation and design projects over many years. This paper provides an overview of both JKSimMet and JKSimFloat and examples of how both programs have been used to better understand, develop and optimise mineral processing circuits around the world.

Feb 27, 2013

By R. H. Grau, S. B. Robertson, R. B. Krog

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted research to improve the ventilation of large-opening mines. Large-opening mine ventilation is unique for the following reasons: (1) it is challenging to keep airflow velocities high enough to effectively remove or dilute airborne contaminants, (2) large air volumes can be moved through the mines with little static pressure drop, and (3) stoppings to direct ventilation airflows are costly to construct and maintain. The research results suggest that by incorporating ventilation planning into the mine planning process, using propeller fans, developing new stopping materials and construction methods, and using long pillars to eliminate crosscuts where possible, the ventilation of large-opening mines can be significantly improved. The ventilation improvements created by incorporating these various techniques into the ventilation plan will help reduce the exposure of mine workers to airborne contaminants in underground large-opening mines.

"Polycom, a new approach to ore processing based on pressure comminution, is obviously a very attractive alternative to conventional processing methods.Since a full-scale pilot plant was commissioned in 1986, more than 125 commercial installations, with capacities up to 1000 t/hr, have gone ahead.Already successfully used in processing cement clinker, limestone, coal, and other minerals, Polycom high pressure grinding results in:o Significantly reduced capital costs, because smaller units can be used m new installations;o Capacity increases of up to 100% in existing facilities; and o Operating economies that include energy savings of 20% or more, and reduced wear parts consumption.1. IntroductionAutogenous or semi-autogenous mills in conjunction with rod or ball mills are used with preference for ore processing. Most ball mills are of closed-circuit design and operate with mechanical classifiers (spiral or rake classifiers) or hydrocyclones. In other words, the ores undergo wet primary grinding, since slurries are required for the downstream separation stages anyway. This paper presents a new grinding system based on high pressure comminution of ores. This grinding process allows:- Energy savings of up to 20 % or more- Capacity increases of up to 100 % and more- Reduction of wear costs- Smaller units for new installation and thus- Reduced investment costsThese advantages are highly interesting for both new installations and conversion projects, particulary in cases where an increasing hardeness of the ore, i.e. rising Bond Work Index, reduces the output of the plants or where the metal assay of the ore decreases and the capacity of the existing systems has to be increased. POLYCOM high-pressure grinding rolls have established themselves with great success already for grinding cement clinker, granulated blast furnace slag, limestone, cement raw materials, coal and other materials.Meanwhile more than 250 high pressure grinding rolls have been installed worldwide. Capacities up to 1.000 t/h with roller diameter up to 2.8 m and drive units up to 2.400 kW are installed."

Jan 1, 1991

By Fredrick M. Ryan

Present indications are that in about 2-3 years phosphor tags will be required in commercial explosives. A permissible 254 run ultraviolet lamp assembly has been developed to permit mine inspectors to detect such phosphor tags and therefore to establish if non-permissible explosives were used. This new lamp is powered by a Miner's cap battery without interference with the normal lighting requirements of the cap lamp battery. It is compact, light, and rugged with very high ultraviolet output.

Jan 1, 1977

By Oliver C. Ralston, Dorsey A. Lyon

Volatilization in retorts has been, until recently, the only commercial process of producing spelter, hence the zinc mine operators have had to meet the terms of the zinc smelters in regard to the following requirements: (1) Minimum percentage of zinc the ore must contain; (2) the chemical combination of the zinc in the ore; (3) the proportion present of those elements that interfere with the suceessful recovery of the zinc when the ore is retorted. In consequence of these requirements, only a comparatively small proportion of the zinc ores mined can be shipped directly to the smelters.

Jan 1, 1919

By C. E. Rodgers

WHEN I was asked to prepare, for presentation at the 1938 Annual Meeting of the Institute, some data concerning low-discharge grinding at the Sylvanite mill, it seemed entirely reasonable to expect to have at my disposal the results of at least four full months' operation after the last unit, as then proposed, was installed. Delays in delivery of equipment, nevertheless, shortened the interval, as will be shown herein. In submitting the data contained in this discussion, I wish distinctly to state that the intention is not to claim that final conclusions can be reached at this time concerning our operation. Test periods, in certain instances at least, have been too short for this purpose, although some, where so stated, have been extended through March and April. It is hoped, however, that an advantageous trend in practice can be shown and that the experience related may be of interest to others who are now operating, or who are considering the operation of, low-discharge grinding mills. In the plant under review, four mills are in use: one primary and three secondary. Present mill capacity (grinding, as shown by screen test, about 99 per cent through-200-mesh and approximately 88 to 89 per cent minus-325-mesh with infrasizer giving about 90 per cent of the latter) averages about 525 tons per day. A brief description of each unit will be given and comments will also be made relating to operation. This will be followed by certain test data from which, in conclusion, operating results are summarized.

Jan 1, 1938

By Steve Kral

In recent years, junior mining companies, mostly listed in Canada, have taken a beating in the finance markets. Simply put, potential investors have been leery of sinking millions into exploration and mining projects due to volatile commodities prices and an uncertain regulatory climate in developed and developing countries. The 2014 edition of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), however, seemed to be a bit different for some juniors. Equity valuations have improved and metals prices appear to be stabilizing. So, for some of the stronger junior companies, there is some hope. Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity is picking up and, believe it or not, companies are raising some capital. Billed as the largest annual mining meeting in North America, the PDAC conference attracted more than 25,000 mining and exploration professionals from around the world. Organizers were anticipating attendance to break the 30,000 mark. But, given the state of the exploration end of the mining business, 25,000 is still a respectable number. Junior companies that are in the project feasibility stage, or have made promising discoveries that stand a good chance of proceeding to production, are being looked at by potential investors. Those are the survivors of the last three years of dismal M&A activity. On the other side are the juniors that are still around ? and there are plenty of juniors that were at the PDAC last year but have since disappeared ? but have little or no working capital. One analyst calculated that there are about 850 companies with less than $200,000 in working capital and about 600 with negative working capital. This will likely result in fewer junior mining and exploration companies as the year progresses but the ones that remain should be stronger.

By Tuan V. Nguyen, Louis Mittoni, Murray Rudman, CSIRO Minerals, Jean D. Swift, John B. Farrow, Phillip D. Fawell

"Research projects towards developing a sound understanding of the factors controlling the performance of gravity thickeners have been conducted by the AJ Parker Cooperative Research Centre for Hydrometallurgy since 1988 through AMIRA International. The current phase of this work, the three year P266D “Improving Thickener Technology” project, has 27 sponsors comprising mineral processing companies, reagent suppliers and thickener manufacturers.These projects have resulted in the development of a range of tools and techniques to address flocculation, thickening and associated dewatering issues. A number of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models have been developed to predict likely full-scale thickener performance under various process conditions, based upon a knowledge of thickener design, plant flows and assessment of the flocculation behaviour of the feed slurry. At the same time, various laboratory and plant studies have been used to quantify important thickener processes, and to provide validation of the CFD models. These numerical and experimental capabilities have been applied to various thickener issues across a broad range of mineral processing operations, leading to significant process improvements and substantial financial benefits.This paper presents an overview of the work conducted during these projects, focussing on the research tools, the nature of the information that has been gained and the implications for thickener performance."

Jan 1, 2003

By Fred N. Kissell, Andrew B. Cecala

In This Chapter [Where methane is emitted at longwall faces Where methane accumulates at longwall faces Using the modified shearer-clearer to eliminate ventilation eddy zones Using a walkway curtain to reduce methane buildup during the headgate cutout Control of frictional ignitions and The best location for the methane monitor] The methane released along a longwall face represents only 10%–20% of the total methane emitted from the entire longwall panel. Nevertheless, in very gassy coal seams, this methane released at the face can pose a problem because the shearer is a ready ignition source. Preventing methane ignitions at longwall faces requires four actions. The first is to provide better ventilation around the shearer to eliminate the ventilation eddy zones at the drums where methane builds up. These eddy zones are eliminated by mounting additional water sprays on the shearer to direct air into them. The second action to prevent methane ignitions is to install a water spray behind each cutter bit and regularly replace worn bits. Water sprays behind each cutter bit act to quench the hot metal streak that follows a worn bit when it strikes rock. The third is to ensure that no ventilation eddy zones are inadvertently created by poor placement of water sprays. The fourth is to ensure that the methane monitor on the shearer is in the best location to detect methane accumulations. ADDRESSING METHANE ACCUMULATIONS AT LONGWALL FACES3 Cecala et al. [1985a, 1989] and Denk and Wirth [1991] studied methane emission and ventilation patterns at longwall faces to find where methane accumulations are most likely. Although not always the case, the major source of methane at longwall faces is usually the breakage of coal by the shearer. Stress-related fracturing of the coal seam at the face, called bumps or bounces, can cause the release of additional gas (Figure 4–1).

Jan 6, 2006

By J. P. Smith

DURING the winter of 1946 to 1947 potash operations in Germany, France and Spain were visited by the author. The U. S. Department of Commerce, through its Field Intelligence Agency Technical, sponsored the inspection of German properties by representatives of the American Potash Industry. Vast deposits of potash salts occur in the above-mentioned countries, and the production and marketing of these salts are important in their respective economies. Germany An area of some ten thousand square miles of north central Germany is underlain by lenses of potash salts interbedded with greater thicknesses of sodium chloride or common salt. These salt measures are relict deposits from the evaporation of an arm of the Zechstein (Permian) Sea which formerly covered northern Europe. During the peak year of 1940, Germany produced salts containing 1,860,000 tons of K,O and, next to coal, potash is its most important mineral raw material. The German deposits are found in the synclinal areas flanking the Flechtingen, Hartz Mountain and Thuringian uplifts, and, to the north they lie beneath the plains of Hannover. The regional dip of the salt measures is to the north, hence, lenses of potash found at depths of 500 to 1000 m* in the Two general depositional provinces of potash concentrations are recognized: (1) the main basin, and (2) the subsidiary basin. The main basin embraces the producing districts of Stassfurt, Sud Hartz, Halle, and Hannover-Braunschweig. From J. P. SMITH, Member AIME, is Clzief Geologist, U. S. Potash Co., Carlsbad, New Mexico. New York Meeting, February 1948. TP 2621 H. Discussion of this paper (2 copies) may be sent to Transactions AIME before Feb. 28, 1950. Manuscript received May 26, 1948. 40 to 45 pct of the German production comes from this basin. The Werra-Fulda district, producer of 50 pct or more of the German potash, lies in the subsidiary basin. Salt Stratigraphy: Five commercial potash zones or beds are recognized. The three beds present in the main basin are: The Stassfurt bed that occurs near the top of the older salt, and the Ronnenberg and Riedel beds in the younger salt occurring 200 to 300 m, respectively, above the Stassfurt bed. The Stassfurt bed is found over the entire main basin, while the Ronnenberg and Riedel are restricted to the Hannover area. Two potash beds occur in the Werra basin. These are the Thuringian, or lower bed and the Hessen or upper potash bed that occurs 60 m above. These beds lie 210 and 150 m, respectively, below the position of the Stassfurt bed, and are restricted to the Werra basin. The upper bed is 2.5 to 11.5 m in thickness, and the principal ores are hartsalz with varying thicknesses of carnallite. The lower bed averages 3 m in thickness, and contains hartsalz. The upper bed is presently being mined, and the

Jan 1, 1951

By J. P. Smith

DURING the winter of 1946 to 1947 potash operations in Germany, France and Spain were visited by the author. The U. S. Department of Commerce, through its Field Intelligence Agency Technical, sponsored the inspection of German properties by representatives of the American Potash Industry. Vast deposits of potash salts occur in the above-mentioned countries, and the production and marketing of these salts are important in their respective economies. Germany An area of some ten thousand square miles of north central Germany is underlain by lenses of potash salts interbedded with greater thicknesses of sodium chloride or common salt. These salt measures are relict deposits from the evaporation of an arm of the Zechstein (Permian) Sea which formerly covered northern Europe. During the peak year of 1940, Germany produced salts containing 1,860,000 tons of K,O and, next to coal, potash is its most important mineral raw material. The German deposits are found in the synclinal areas flanking the Flechtingen, Hartz Mountain and Thuringian uplifts, and, to the north they lie beneath the plains of Hannover. The regional dip of the salt measures is to the north, hence, lenses of potash found at depths of 500 to 1000 m* in the Two general depositional provinces of potash concentrations are recognized: (1) the main basin, and (2) the subsidiary basin. The main basin embraces the producing districts of Stassfurt, Sud Hartz, Halle, and Hannover-Braunschweig. From J. P. SMITH, Member AIME, is Clzief Geologist, U. S. Potash Co., Carlsbad, New Mexico. New York Meeting, February 1948. TP 2621 H. Discussion of this paper (2 copies) may be sent to Transactions AIME before Feb. 28, 1950. Manuscript received May 26, 1948. 40 to 45 pct of the German production comes from this basin. The Werra-Fulda district, producer of 50 pct or more of the German potash, lies in the subsidiary basin. Salt Stratigraphy: Five commercial potash zones or beds are recognized. The three beds present in the main basin are: The Stassfurt bed that occurs near the top of the older salt, and the Ronnenberg and Riedel beds in the younger salt occurring 200 to 300 m, respectively, above the Stassfurt bed. The Stassfurt bed is found over the entire main basin, while the Ronnenberg and Riedel are restricted to the Hannover area. Two potash beds occur in the Werra basin. These are the Thuringian, or lower bed and the Hessen or upper potash bed that occurs 60 m above. These beds lie 210 and 150 m, respectively, below the position of the Stassfurt bed, and are restricted to the Werra basin. The upper bed is 2.5 to 11.5 m in thickness, and the principal ores are hartsalz with varying thicknesses of carnallite. The lower bed averages 3 m in thickness, and contains hartsalz. The upper bed is presently being mined, and the

Jan 1, 1951